


Walk to the Water

by LilBittyMonster



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Light Angst, MerMay, but its ok, everything works out, ive had this in my head since last year so im getting it out tonight dammit, mermaid au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-01
Updated: 2018-06-01
Packaged: 2019-05-16 17:31:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14815745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilBittyMonster/pseuds/LilBittyMonster
Summary: “Don't go to the water's edge,” warn the stories. “That's the realm of the merfolk. Walk to the water's edge, and you'll never be seen on land again.”Gaige has never been very good at listening.





	Walk to the Water

**Author's Note:**

> *slides through the doorway at the last minute* I'm here! It's still MerMay! Very last minute submission, I hope y'all enjoy.

“Don't go to the water's edge,” say all the old women at the market. “That's the merfolk's realm.”

“Don’t go to the water’s edge,” say all the old men in the tavern. “You’ll be pulled to the depths before you can scream.”

Gaige has never listened to them. The water's always beckoned to her, with its soft rhythmic lapping at the shoreline and calming whispers in the breeze. Every chance she gets she goes to the riverside, bringing a book to read or paper to sketch on, or simply to wander. She doesn't fear being taken by mermaids. How can you fear something that isn't real?

She made her way down to the shoreline, following her usual path. She's been this way a thousand times, and she's never seen so much as a minnow in the shallows here. Only the small rounded pebbles and occasional broken bits of shells line the dark sand as she makes her way to her usual peninsula. It seems that someone had created this space with just the thought in mind, the path of stones leading out into the water and ending with a seat overlooking the waves, hidden from view of the hillside. It was here that Gaige loved to spend her afternoons, watching the gentle lap of water on stone, the endless glassy surface of the water stretched out in front of her.

The sun was setting on the horizon, staining the sky red and pink, as Gaige's thoughts again turned to mermaids. Her charcoal stick scratched out the treeline in the distance as she let her mind wander, adding in abstract fish and plant life in the water below. She loved to hear the old wives' tales about them, about how they dragged unsuspecting humans to their watery deaths, but that was the end of it. Just stories. She had nothing to fear from the calm river before her.

And just as that thought flashed across her mind, she saw a ripple off in the distance. No more than a fish breaking the surface to catch a fly, she thought. Nothing unusual, happened all the time. She gazed into her own wavering reflection, red hair split into two ponytails, wild locks going this way and that. Her mind relaxes and drifted as the water soothed her, calm rhythm never breaking a beat.

Just then another ripple catches her attention, off closer to shore. She pull her gaze from the water and her eyes follow the trail, a splash here, the glimmer of maybe a fin there? She wasn't sure. Standing from her crouched position on the rocks, she quickly packed her bag back up and headed back to shore. Another silver flash broke the surface farther down the beach. Gaige followed the shoreline at a brisk walk, the black sand crunching under her boots.

The sand bar disappeared behind a bend in the rocks, seemingly blocked off. She scrambled around the ledge, a foot slipping into the water briefly before she emerged on the other side. The rock fell back to her left, leading to an area she had never explored before. A small cove opened up, a patch of water lilies floating serenely in the shallows, piled rocks lead out into the depths of the water before plunging beneath the surface. A willow guarded the far end, long hair dipping into the waves and providing the sense that this space was closed off from the rest of the world. Gaige took a moment to stare, wondering how she had never found this place before. In all her years of exploring the water's edge, this place had somehow eluded her.

Another loud splash came from the edge of the rock pile on the far side of the cove, and she quickly clambered over the rough surfaces until she was looking down into the murky depths. Her mind raced, thinking again of the mermaid tales of men being lured down until they drowned, uncaring. As Gaige peered into the depths, a pair of bright blue eyes met hers.

She pulled back, heart racing, as a head appeared with long black hair and bright blue eyes, the long body of a fish with shimmering blue scales to match slowly swishing from side to side below her. Gaige’s body froze, thinking this was some sort of fever dream.

The blue eyes watched her, calm as the water below. Gaige pressed herself against the rock, wondering if it was too late to run. Her gaze stayed locked with the face in front of her.

“Are you…...are you real?” she asked after it was clear that the form in the water was not going anywhere.

“Are you?” the mergirl asked in return. Her voice was cool and smooth like the water surrounding her.

“I...uh...” Gaige cleared her throat, “yeah, as far as I know.”

The girl smiled.

“Good,” she said. “I'd hate to find out you weren’t real after all this time.”

“Um, that's….what?” Gaige blinked.

“I've been watching your for some time now.”

“That's creepy.”

She blinked, brow furrowing in thought. “Is it?” Her tone seemed genuine.

“Yeah, it is,” Gaige confirmed. “Why…..” she cleared her throat again. There was no way this was happening, right? “Why didn’t you just...I 'unno, show yourself?”

A dust of rose tinted the girl's pale cheeks. “I don't know,” she said softly.

Gaige twisted a stray piece of hair for a second. “Well, here I am,” she said awkwardly.

The girl nodded again. “I am glad you followed me, and didn't attack me.”

Gaige started. “Why would….” Then she remembered all the horror stories that her grandmother told her. “Yeah, no, I wouldn't attack you,” she tried again. She looked up and saw that the sky had grown inky blue.

“I should head home.”

“Yes, it's going to rain soon,” the girl stated. “Will I see you again?” she added hopefully.

“Uh, probably. I come to the beach a lot.”

She beamed, and Gaige saw the sharp pair of incisors against otherwise normal teeth.

“Excellent! Good night!” And with that she disappeared beneath the surface with a small ripple.

Gaige sat back on the grass, shaking her head. That did not just actually happen. Did it? She stood, brushing the dirt from her legs, and began the long walk home.

*

Just as the mermaid had predicted, it had started to rain as Gaige walked. She had broken into a full sprint as the wind picked up, driving the cold drops into her back. She shook the water from her hair as she closed the front door behind her.

“Pretty good storm out there,” her dad said from the table.

“You can say that again,” she said as she gave him a one-armed hug. He grasped her forearm with his free hand before releasing her.

“There’s still some soup in the pot if you’re hungry.”

“Ok, thanks,” she called as she ascended the stairs.

Gaige shut her bedroom door and stripped off her wet clothes, slipping a fresh tunic and and pair of soft leggings on. She dropped her pack on the bed, pulling out the papers and box of charcoal to dry on her desk before rejoining her father at the table with a bowl of soup.

“What’d you get up to today?” he asked over the top of his glasses.

“Went for a walk. Drew a bit,” she said nonchalantly. She slurped the warm broth from the wooden spoon. “Anything good happen at the store?”

He chuckled. “Well, we had one woman come in asking for every bolt of blue cloth we had, then another for exactly twenty seven eggs, and then yelled at Laura when she told her that we didn’t have any and that she was better off asking at the market.”

“Rude,” Gaige remarked.

“Rude indeed,” he echoed. “Oh, and the button lady was back today.”

“What’d she want this time?”

“Fourteen and a half brass buttons.”

Gaige snorted. “Fourteen and a half? Which half did she want?”

“No idea,” her father drawled.

Gaige just snorted again, and the pair finished their supper in easy silence. She put her empty bowl next to the wash basin, gave her dad a quick kiss on the temple, and headed up to her room. By candlelight, she quickly sketched the mermaid rising up from the water before climbing into bed.

*

The next morning Gaige woke with the sun on the wall above her headboard. She assumed her father had already gone to work, so she dressed and went to the market for breakfast. She stopped by the baker’s and picked up a couple loaves of bread and a cheese roll for herself before going to the bookbinder’s.

The small bell chimed above her as she stepped into the shop, the warm smell of paper and leather mixed with the tang of glue filled her nose. The portly woman who ran the counter lifted her head at the noise, and greeted Gaige with a grandmotherly smile.

“Morning, dear, are you here for your father’s stationary?” she said as she turned to pull a sheaf of papers from a cubby behind her.

“Yeah, those,” Gaige replied, completely forgetting that her father had asked her to pick them up. “I also wanted some more loose paper, I’m almost out.”

“Sure, sure. Let me see what we’ve got in the back.”

“Thanks, Gretta,” Gaige called as she disappeared into the back room. She pulled the stationary towards her on the counter, admiring the embossed design along the top edge.

Gretta re-emerged with a thick roll of plain paper tucked under her arm, and a small green leather-bound book in her hands.

“Alright, found some paper for you, and this is for you as well,” she said with a smile as she set them on the counter.

“Oh, how much is the book?” Gaige asked, taken a bit aback.

“Free of charge,” Gretta winked. “Consider it an early birthday present.”

“Aw, you didn’t have to,” she replied, but Gretta was already shaking her head.

“No trouble at all, dear. Tell your father I said hi, alright?”

Gaige laid her coins on the counter and stacked her drawing paper on top of the thicker stationary, tucking the small book into her pack. She made a mental note to ask her father for some of those candied fruits they kept in the front of the counter. She made one last stop at the fruit cart before heading back home, finishing the last bit of her roll on the way.

Bread was put away, stationary was put at her father’s work desk, and her own paper was taken up to her room. Gaige cleaned last night’s dishes with a buzz starting under her skin, seemingly out of place until she realised why. She was itching to go back to the beach today. More so than usual. She finished scrubbing the dishes and dried them hurriedly with a towel. Her hands flew to pack up the last bits of her paper and charcoal, the drawing she had done catching her eye as it sat out on her desk. The scrawled in eyes seemed to stare right back out at her, and she pulled a piece of scrap over it. Just in case her father came into her room.

She shouldered her pack and walked carefree down the road towards the river, taking a bite of her apple. The path was mostly empty of people this time of midmorning, and the sunshine put her in a bubbly mood.

“Where are you going?” an old woman demanded.

“For a walk,” Gaige replied dismissively.

The crone frowned. “Kids your age should be working, you know,” she called after Gaige.

“Yeah yeah,” she waved her off.

She skipped the rest of the way down once she was out of sight of the village’s edge, the faint blue glimmer of the river in the distance. She had to stop herself from full on sprinting to the beach, telling herself that she wasn’t in a hurry. There might not even be any mermaids waiting for her, last night could’ve just been a weird dream or something.

She walked to her usual rock pile, then continued on, hoping she’d be able to remember where that cove was. She almost thought she had made the whole thing up until she saw the ledge coming out right up to the water, craggy stones coated in moss and grass. She picked up a quick jog the rest of the distance, carefully slipping around the wall, and stepped into the cool shadow of the willow tree.

The space was lit with light from below, where the sunlight reflected off the waves, casting rippling white patterns along the rocky ceiling. The willow branches swayed lazily in the breeze as they ghosted along the surface of the river. Bright pink and white lilies bobbed along in the shallows. Gaige let out a sigh and relaxed her shoulders. It was real after all. She picked her way to the edge of the outcropping and sat back against the willow tree. Tossing the apple core aside, she pulled the green book from her pack and flipped it open. It was made of the same paper she usually bought for sketching, but the edges were trimmed flush with each other. The corners of the cover had small brass coverings, and the whole thing latched with a flowery hook. She was definitely getting Gretta those candied fruits.

A quiet splash made Gaige look up, and to her right was a pair of bright blue eyes. The mergirl’s face split in a grin, showing off her incisors.

“Hi,” she said cheerily.

“Hi,” Gaige replied after a brief pause. “You’re actually real.”

“Of course, I thought we decided we were both real?” she asked with a tilt of her head.

“I thought that...that whole thing was a dream, maybe.” Gaige waved her hand dismissively. “But you’re real, so, that’s cool.”

“What is that?”

“What’s what?”

“That thing in your hands.”

“Oh.” Gaige held up the sketchbook. “It’s a book…?”

“Can I see?” the girl asked eagerly, moving closer to the edge of the rocks.

“Yeah, sure.”

Gaige slid down so she was right at the edge of the water without actually being in it. She unclasped the hook and let the pages flip open, holding it out gingerly for the other girl to see. Her blue eyes widened in delight, before her brow scrunched into a line of confusion.

“It’s empty?”

“For now, yeah. I’ll put drawings and stuff in there, though.”

“Oh!” She pulled her arms out of the water and crossed them on a boulder. Gaige noticed the faint scaling at the joints, the delicate fins on her forearms, the precise points her fingernails tapered into. “What kind of things do you draw?”

Gaige shrugged. “All kinds of stuff, really. Whatever I find interesting. Trees, people, flowers, that kind of stuff.”

“Can I see?”

Gaige blinked. “Sure, yeah. I don’t have any with me but I’ll bring some with me next time.” Next time. There will definitely be a next time.

“So,” Gaige continued, “We still don’t know each others names.”

“Angel.”

“I know you are, but what’s your name?” Gaige said with a sly grin.

“That is my name,” Angel said with another one of her slightly-confused head tilts that were quickly becoming endearing.

“Oh. I’m Gaige.”

“Well met, Gaige,” she said with a wide smile.

“Well met,” she echoed.

“So, will you draw me?” Angel asked, her head leaning on one of her arms. “Pretty please?”

Gaige nodded and pulled out her tin of charcoal, then after a pause, her new sketchbook. She studied Angel for a moment, then began her sketch, those bright blue eyes watching her steadily.

*

Gaige bolted up to her room as soon as she was home, calling a quick greeting to her dad. Closing the door behind her, she pulled out the pile of sketches she kept on her bookshelves and under her bed, rifling through to find some that were worthy enough to show Angel. The pile slowly and haphazardly grew on her desk, and when she was satisfied with her choices, they were rolled up and tied.

“Gaige, could you come help with supper?” her father called from downstairs.

“Be right down,” she called back, placing the bundle next to her pack so she wouldn’t forget it.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs her father was already in the kitchen, slicing the cut of meat to be fried. There was a head of lettuce next to him on the counter.

“Could you be a dear and cut that up?” he said, pointing with his chin.

Gaige rolled up her sleeves and began pulling off some of the outer leaves to begin chopping.

“Thank you for getting that stationary, by the way,” he said.

“Yeah, no problem!”

“You forgot about it until you got there, didn’t you?” he asked with a small grin.

“...Maybe.”

He chuckled. “Well, it got here, that’s what matters.”

Gaige nodded, setting aside the small pile of diced greens and pulled off another handful of leaves from the bunch.

“Oh, that reminds me, can I have some boxes of those candied fruits you got in last week?”

Her father sighed. “Gaige, you know I can’t just keep bringing treats home for you-”

“They’re not for me,” she interrupted quickly. “They’re for Gretta, at the bookbinders.”

A look of understanding smoothed his brow and twinkled in his eyes. “Well, in that case………”

Gaige waited hopefully as she continued chopping.

“...I suppose we wouldn’t miss a tin or two.”

She wrapped her arms around his torso in glee, her father laughingly telling her to watch the knife.

“Sorry, Dad,” she apologised as she went back to cutting. “Think that’s enough?” she asked, tilting the bowl to show him.

“Yeah, that should be good.” He maneuvered around her to start the beef cooking while she sliced up one of the loaves and brought the board to the table along with the greens.

“So what’re you going to put in that fancy new book of yours?” he asked over the sound of fat sizzling.

“I don’t know yet,” she said thoughtfully. “Probably only the really special things.”

*

Gaige kept her eye on the skies as she walked down the beach. The clouds were threatening to blot out the sun entirely, dappling the sky with large chunks of silver, and she could feel the cool air of a storm approaching on her face. She drew her jacket a little closer around herself and adjusted her pack on her shoulder. The roll of her drawings bumped awkwardly at her hip as she walked, her feet finding the path almost of their own volition around the rock wall. She clambered over to the base of the tree and began unfurling the papers, going over them again nervously until Angel appeared. She wasn’t even sure if Angel would be here today.

She restacked her drawings and, with a last look at the rippling water, pulled out her book and leaned against the willow. She idly twirled a lock of hair around her finger as she read, hardly noticing the passing of time. The sun eventually won out over the clouds, and the sudden brightness made Gaige look up. The waves sparkled across the river to the opposite bank, and the rocky ceiling above was netted in white patterns. She shivered in the breeze that blew, and returned to reading.

Gaige was so engrossed in the conversation on the page that she didn’t notice the head of black hair that appeared out of the water until Angel smacked her tail lightly on the water’s surface. Gaige’s head shot up, then her posture relaxed as she marked her place and closed the book.

“Morning,” Angel greeted her cheerfully.

“Mornin’,” Gaige replied. “I brought some of my sketches to show you.”

Angel’s eyes widened in delight. “Really?” Her tail swished underwater in excitement, miniature currents swirling on the surface of the river in its wake.

Gaige turned and pulled the bundle from where she had tucked it underneath a rock. She scooted back down to almost at the water’s edge and spread the pile on her lap. Angel hoisted herself up out of the water to sit next to her, rivulets running down scales of various blues and puddling in crevices around her on the rocks. Her black hair clung to her like a shroud, trailing over her chest and to the fins at her sides.

She craned her neck and leaned towards Gaige, softly exclaiming in joy over every picture, occasionally asking what something was. Gaige preened under the attention, proud to show off her art to someone other than her father. Her flower stills were her personal favourites.

“What are those?” Angel asked, pointing to a cluster of flowers in the top corner.

“Those are violets,” Gaige explained. “They grow all over by my house. I’ll bring you some when they start blooming, if you want,” she offered. She looked up at Angel and was taken by the soft intensity of her eyes.

“I’d like that,” she said softly.

Gaige fought to keep her cheeks from reddening as she flipped to the next sketch. She smoothed her fingers carefully over the charcoal smudges, remembering drawing this fondly. It was the view from her bedroom window, and the sunset had been framed with layers of clouds that had dispersed the light through them, rays of deep golden light shooting out from in between. She had rushed to capture it with the last bits of light that evening.

Angel gasped from beside her. “That’s beautiful, Gaige. Does the sunset always look like that?”

“No,” Gaige replied, “this was an especially good one. I think it rained for two nights straight after this so I’m glad I drew this.”

She flipped over to the last one of her pile, and she kept her eyes carefully trained on the charcoal mermaid in front of her as she felt Angel inhale.

“Is that me?” she giggled.

Gaige nodded shyly. “I didn’t want to forget, even if it was just my imagination.” She lifted her gaze back to Angel’s who was looking at her thoughtfully.

“I certainly hope you don’t forget me.”

*

When Gaige returned home the door to her father’s study was closed, so she grabbed a piece of fruit and the heel of bread and went upstairs. She noticed her door was ajar, and stepping into her room she noticed the two tins on her desk, as well as a candied plum wrapped in parchment paper. Her heart swelled and she felt a smile break out on her lips.

“You’re the best, Dad,” she called downstairs. She heard her father’s warm laugh rumble from behind the closed doors.

*

The next morning was grey and drizzling outside the window. Gaige woke up with no sense of time, but the absence of her father told her it was at least midmorning. Making herself some tea, she curled up on the couch with her book, losing herself into the last few chapters. By the time she was finished the drizzle had grown to an outright downpour.

Gaige sat in post-book departum for what felt like an hour, before deciding that she needed the next book and needed it now. Putting a bucket under the usual drip spot, she donned her coat and stepped out into the rain. She was soaked through by the time she slogged all the way to the library, shaking the mud off her boots as she pulled back her hood. The librarian at the desk looked up at her in surprise.

“What brings you in in this weather?” she asked.

“I finished the book,” Gaige said simply as she placed it on the wooden counter.

Her expression cleared with understanding. “I see. Let’s see, what series is this….” She trailed off as she flipped through the records book, writing down Gaige’s return as she did. She looked back up apologetically. “It looks like both copies are checked out currently, but come back in about a week, one of the copies should be back by then.”

Gaige’s shoulders slumped. “Okay. I’ll….just browse, I guess. Thanks.”

The woman nodded to her as she turned from the counter and ventured deeper into the maze of shelves, idly trailing her fingers along the spines as she looked with a tilted head for anything interesting. A small embossed figure of a mermaid caught her eye, and she pulled the cracked leather tome from its place. Tales from the Crow’s Nest, it read, A Collection of Sailor’s Myths and Legends. The cover was of a bare-chested man in a crow’s nest amidst a storm, waves rising dramatically behind him. Classy. Not bothering with the overstuffed chairs, Gaige sank unceremoniously to the carpet and began reading.

*

Angel was already swimming in circles in the tiny cove when Gaige arrived, immediately swimming over to her when she caught sight of her.

“You weren’t here!” she stated, distressed.

“Yeah, we had to help clear up some fallen trees from the wind.” She sat down on what was becoming her rock. “Did you like…...feel anything during the storm?”

Angel shook her head, hair spinning out lazily. “We live too deep to be affected.”

“Oh.”

“Are you okay though?” She rested her chin on folded arms and gazed intently up at Gaige.

“Yeah, I’m fine. The worst we had was a leak in the roof, and that’s been there forever. And I finished my book and the next one in the series isn’t available until at least a week.”

Angel frowned. “Oh no. Did you find another one instead?”

“I did, actually.” Gaige pulled the book from her pack. “It’s completely ridiculous, but I thought you’d find some of these funny.”

Angel was laughing not even halfway through the story, Gaige struggling to continue reading through her own giggles.

“That’s not…….that’s not even remotely close to how seaweed works,” Angel managed, wiping tears from her face delicately. “And no one uses clams for that.”

“That’s what I figured, I think the author made half of these stories up.”

“Oh, most definitely,” Angel agreed. “Read me another one?”

Gaige smiled and flipped to the next chapter.

*

The willow branches swished gently back and forth against each other, the long narrow leaves making the sunlight dapple across the grass to match the wave patterns on the rocks. Gaige sat crosslegged on her rock, idly twirling the small bundle of violet blossoms in her fingers. She saw Angel coming, her long silvery blue tail fanning out behind her as she surfaced.

“Hi,” she said, approaching the boulder and resting her arms on Gaige’s knees.

“Hey,” Gaige said back, holding out the bouquet. “I brought you some violets.”

Angel delicately took the bunch from her hands, stroking the petals with a curious claw before spreading them out in the water around her, spinning in glee. Gaige watched her with a smile. Angel ducked below surface and re-emerged below the spread of blossoms, dotting the sleek black locks with purple and white and yellow.

“I should bring you something, too! Don’t leave, ok?” she said suddenly, vanishing before Gaige could reply.

She shrugged and climbed back over to her drawing supplies, starting to sketch Angel with the flowers in her hair. She decided to buy herself some coloured pencils or inks when she went to the bookbinders next. The blossoms appeared as blank spaces in between the long strokes of black charcoal, trailing off into ripples.

Just as she was touching up the details, Angel reappeared. She was holding up a shell of some sort triumphantly, causing Gaige to quickly stow her charcoal sticks.

“Is that what I think it is?” she asked excitedly as she scrambled back down to Angel. She gingerly took the shell from her hands, running a gentle finger over the ribbed edge. “I’ve only seen pieces of these on the beach!”

Angel’s smile made her bright eyes crinkle in at the edges. “I thought you’d like it.”

“Thank you,” Gaige said sincerely as she traced the purple and blue designs on the curve of the shell.

“Something to remember me by.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever forget about you, Angel.”

*

The water was refreshing against Gaige’s bare legs as she kicked them slowly, eddys forming in smooth curls where her toes neared the surface. Her toes tangled with the long thin stems of the lilies, tugging the delicate petals underwater before they popped back up. She chewed on a peach from the market while she waited for Angel to arrive, still debating on whether or not she wanted to start another drawing in her book or to simply sit and enjoy the day. Another gust of wind whipped the shallows into miniature waves.

“I was thinking,” Angel said, appearing suddenly and resting her elbows on Gaige’s knees, “you should come swimming with me some day.”

Gaige smiled as she swallowed her mouthful. “I would if I knew how.”

“That’s ok, I can teach you! Or just pull you along, you don’t look very heavy. Pulling things in water is pretty easy.”

“Ok. Ok, yeah, sounds fun.” She finished the peach and tossed the pit into the soft dirt.

“Great! Wanna start now?” Wide blue eyes begged up at her.

Gaige ran a hand across the back of her neck. “Now? I uh….I don’t have any extra clothes with me…”

Angel tilted her head to the side, a mischievous grin forming on her lips. “Aww, c’mon, Gaige, live a little.”

That made a giggle bubble to Gaige’s throat. “I’m a bad influence on you, aren’t I?”

“Maybe just a little,” Angel laughed back. “I won’t let you drown, promise.”

Gaige shook her head teasingly as she backed up the rocks to pull off her shirt and pants, Angel swimming a lazy lap while she waited. Left in just her underclothes, Gaige walked over to the innermost curve of the shoreline and eased herself in, slowly walking forwards in cautious steps.

“Gah, that’s cold!” she exclaimed once the water hit her stomach.

“Is it?”

“Y-yeah, it’s way colder than I thought,” Gaige chattered out as her arms broke out in goosebumps. “I’ll g-get used to it though. Just...gotta keep moving.”

She took another step forward, her curls disappearing under the surface for a moment when her foot found no purchase and she dunked under. She re-emerged spluttering and backed up a step.

“Ok, now what?”

Angel swam around her, blue-white fins fluttering like silk in the water. “Ok, now lean back, facing up. I’ll show you how to float first.”

“Won’t I just sink?” Gaige asked worriedly.

“I’ll support you, don’t worry.” Angel held out her arms as she spoke.

Gaige slowly tipped back, wincing as the cold water touched her scalp once again. She felt the smooth texture of the scales on Angel’s arms supporting her gently at her back. Tentatively, she lifted one leg off the sand, then the other, flailing her arms a bit as she felt her body go horizontal.

“Remember to breathe,” Angel instructed gently.

Gaige sucked in a deep breath, not realising she had been holding it out of nerves. Her legs kicked out on their own, and she slowly held out her arms for balance, mindful not to bump Angel. The wave patterns on the rock above her dominated her vision, and her hearing was muted as her ears were covered. Remembering Angel’s words, she sucked in another lungful of air.

“Good,” Angel said distantly, and Gaige hardly noticed when she pulled her arms back.

“Ha, I’m doing it!” Gaige exclaimed. “I’m doing it!” She tipped her head back out of the water to look at Angel.

“Ok, now try to swim to me,” Angel said as she moved back out to the edge of the cove.

Gaige stepped back down onto the rock below. “Uh, ok…? How do I…..”

“Try staying afloat first,” she suggested. “Move your arms like this-” she demonstrated, moving her arms back and forth.

Gaige mimicked the action, sinking in the water so her shoulders were covered, then kicked off of the rock for a few seconds.

“You had it, try again,” Angel encouraged.

“Ok, let’s do this,” Gaige said to herself as she pushed forward into the deeper water, still moving her arms. Her feet kicked down on instinct like she was trying to step up, and to her surprise she only went under a couple times.

“Like this?” she asked, spitting a small bit of water from her mouth.

“Yes, just like that. Now try….” She trailed off as she thought. “Make your hands like this,” and she cupped her fingers together, holding a hand above the water to show Gaige.

“Oh, like oars?” Gaige said, bringing her hands together and pushing them outward. She slowly moved closer to Angel, her arms and chest beginning to ache.

Angel swam closer, ducking below the water for a brief moment before reappearing.

“You’re close, but try leaning forward more.”

Gaige felt clawed hands on her stomach and between her shoulder blades as Angel repositioned her in the water, tilting her forward and making her legs kick behind her. Her next push with her arms carried her a bit farther, and without consciously making the decision to she was timing her legs and arms to move at once. Before Gaige knew it she was past the edge of the rock wall and out into the open sunshine.

“Look at you, you’re a natural!” Angel said as she swam up beside her.

“Thanks. My arms are killing me, though,” Gaige panted.

“You can stop, no need to push yourself,” Angel said, “It’s only your first time, so.”

Gaige just turned herself back around, panting as she pulled herself up to her usual seat by the water. Her red hair clung to her neck and shoulders as she sat hunched over, arms shaking slightly.

“That’s exhausting,” she said simply as Angel leaned her arms on her knees. “How do you do that. All. The time?”

“I have a tail, that’s how,” Angel smirked up at her.

“That’s just cheating.” Gaige brushed a stray piece of hair from Angel’s face. “I guess that’s a fair trade, though, since I can go in the water and still walk on land.”

“So could I, if I really wanted to,” Angel said causally.

“Wait, really?” Gaige leaned forward, exhaustion temporarily forgotten. “How?”

“It’s……..complicated,” Angel said slowly, “but I could give myself a human body.”

“That’s…..could you go back, though? To being a mermaid I mean.”

Angel traced an idle shape on Gaige’s leg as she thought. “I don’t know,” she said eventually. “I’ve only heard of a couple who’ve done it, and they supposedly never came back to their pods.”

“Huh,” Gaige eloquently replied. “Maybe they…..I ‘unno, got lost or something?”

“Maybe,” Angel replied thoughtfully, her blue eyes pensive. “Or maybe they found something worth staying for.”

*

The librarian raised her eyebrow.

“Another marine biology book? That’s the third one this week.”

“I have this weird shell I found, and I can’t find anything on what it is,” Gaige explained, which wasn’t a lie.

She chuckled under her breath. “Don’t let Mrs. Greenfield see you with it, last thing we need is another one of her mermaid rants.” She wrote down the book in the records and passed it back. “That sequel you asked about is back in, too.”

“Oh, really? Great, I’ll be right back.” She scampered off to the back of the room again, leaving the woman at the desk shaking her head affectionately.

*

“Hey, can I ask you something?” Gaige asked.

“You just did,” Angel smirked over her left shoulder.

Gaige rolled her eyes. “Thanks, Dad,” she drawled sarcastically. Angel giggled brightly at her expression.

“What’s your question?” she nudged Gaige.

“What’s with the patterns?” she asked, tracing the pale white scales that wrapped and twisted down her arm like vines and flowers, continuing down her side. “Like, is it some sort of tattoo, or like…….tribal thing, or…...breed..?” She trailed off as Angel tried to hide her laughter behind her hand. “I’m sorry! I don’t know how else to phrase it,” she said sheepishly.

“No, no, it’s fine,” Angel reassured her, still smiling. “I don’t mind. It’s not a tattoo or anything like that. No one else in my pod has it, and I’ve only met two others with something similar.”

“Maybe it’s like a recessive gene or something,” Gaige offered.

“Maybe.”

Gaige leaned her head gently on Angel’s shoulder, looking out at the sunset over the opposite bank. Angel rested her head against Gaige’s, and she linked her clawed fingers with her pale human ones.

“I wish I could bring my sketchbook over here,” Gaige sighed wistfully. “That’d be a great picture.”

“Can’t you wrap it in something to keep the water out? Or float it on something?”

“I’d be too scared to lose it or get it wet.”

“Mmm.”

They sat in silence for a good while, watching the sun set and listening to the night insects wake up with their calls. The river had stilled, the water barely moving against Gaige’s bare legs. The sky was deep pink and the sun had vanished behind the treeline when Gaige moved again.

“I should get back, it’s getting late.”

Angel nodded, releasing their fingers and sliding back into the water with a soft splash.

“Race ya,” Gaige said playfully as she jumped in after her.

“You’re funny.”

“You laugh now, but one day I’ll beat you,” Gaige said as she struck out.

“I’d love to see the day,” Angel laughed from up ahead.

*

 

Gaige sat with her paints all lined up on the table in front of her, brush slowly stroking over the thick paper as a sunset unfurled from the bristles. The evening sun spilled in through the front windows and dappled the dark wood of the table and making the wet pigments glow. The door banged open as her father entered, stopping and peering over her shoulder.

“Very nice,” he commented softly. “Did you make this?” he asked cheekily. Gaige just elbowed him gently in the stomach.

“Nope,” she quipped, continuing to paint with a grin.

“Oof, where did these come from?” her dad asked gently squeezing a bicep.

“From carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders,” Gaige deadpanned.

Her father chuckled at that, continuing into his study. The sounds of heavy papers landing on a solid surface came from behind her, and a moment later her father reappeared.

“So, do you and your newly found muscles think they could help reshingle the roof before it gets cold?” he asked as he cut up an apple.

“Sure, when d’you want to do it?”

“Still waiting for the tile to come in, but in the next week or so.”

“Sounds good,” she agreed absently as the brush continued stroking.

 

*

“I want to show you something,” Angel said without preamble as Gaige rounded the rock wall.

“Oh, ok…?” Gaige said as she dropped her pack by the willow. “What is it?”

“It’s a surprise,” Angel said, twirling her torso back and forth in the water. “You’ll have to be in the water with me, though.”

“Alright.”

Gaige laid out her change of clothes by the rocks and stripped down to her underclothes, jumping into the water unceremoniously and making Angel laugh at the splash. She treaded water for a bit to acclimate to the chilly water before joining Angel at the mouth of the cove.

“Ok, now what?” Gaige asked, trying not to chatter.

“Do you trust me?” Angel asked, blue eyes piercing as she met Gaige’s green ones.

“Uh, duh.”

Angel smiled, pulling Gaige forward by the hand as she swam backwards, her shoulders disappearing underwater, then her neck, and just as they were both submerged, Angel leaned forward and pressed her lips to Gaige’s. Gaige felt the cold water close over the top of her head, her eyes scrunched closed in panic as she tried to take a breath and-

She could. She blinked against the water a few times, eyes still squinted, but she could still breathe normally. She felt her face tentatively, and what felt like a giant soap bubble was surrounding her nose and mouth. She continued to blink, the murk clearing in front of her as Angel continued to pull them downward. She was still watching Gaige nervously, black hair billowing out around her like a veil.

‘You ok?’ she mouthed.

Gaige nodded, looking up at the surface rippling above her. The blue of the sky was refracted like shards of smooth glass, the grey forms of the rocks continuing down from the shoreline to her right. Her own hair caught her gaze, floating like brilliant red seaweed in the current. She shook her head back and forth just to watch it move slowly in front of her, Angel smiling as she did so ahead of her. She turned, still holding Gaige’s hand, and pulled the two of them further into the river.

The silty floor gave way to a forest of plants, their long tendrils shifting like long grass in the wind below them. Angel angled them towards the top, letting go of Gaige’s hand at her tug so she could swim among them herself. Gaige pulled herself forward with sweeping strokes, the resistance much greater at this depth, and wove herself into a patch. Her limited vision didn’t give her a view of the bottom of the stalks but there were little schools of grey and green fish darting in between the plants. She rolled back facing upwards, the sky so much farther away, with little motes of drifting plantlife and more fish moving above her.

“I could get used to this,” she said to herself, her voice sounding both far away and too close to her own ears.

Angel hovered over her, looking down at her in amusement, and held out her hand again. Gaige let herself be pulled up, the slippery leaves tickling her legs as she kicked out on instinct. The two continued upstream, the bottom of the river disappearing totally from view. Gaige guessed that they were nearing the ocean, and soon she could feel a difference in the water around her. Angel swam on, and Gaige was mesmerised by the rippling blue scales along her body. Her tail was much longer than she had assumed.

Suddenly a large expanse of stone loomed up in front of them. Angel guided them into a large opening in the side, forcing Gaige to twist and turn away from the edges. She still managed to scrape the skin of her shin on an outcropping, but that didn’t matter as suddenly she was pulled upwards and into open air again, coughing and shaking her hair from her face.

The pool they were in opened up into a small bubble of open air domed by a high ceiling, daylight filtering in through small openings in the rock. A black beach was pushed against the far side, sloping gently from the rock wall before dipping into the water. Hanging vines swung from the ceiling, filtering the sunlight green. Gaige treaded in place as she caught her breath, looking around in awe at the space.

“So?” Angel said quietly. “What do you think?”

“It’s amazing,” Gaige breathed, dropping her gaze from the ceiling to Angel's face. “Is this where you live?”

Angel gave a small laugh. “No, I live much farther out to sea. This is just my own secret place. C’mon, I want you to see,” she said, swimming towards the opposite wall. Gaige swam after her, arms moving powerfully through the new ocean water.

The wall was filled with little nooks and crannies, some sitting empty while others held shells, or bits of carved driftwood. She could see the line of shells went below the water level as well. Gaige noticed with a burst of happiness that the flower crown she brought Angel from the flower fest was sitting in a large shell, floating in a pool of water. Other shells held small clusters of flowers the same way.

“It’s beautiful,” Gaige said softly, swimming up to look at a spiraled shell the size of her head sitting by the water level. “Won’t the flowers get soaked when the tide comes in?”

“Nope. The highest the water’s ever been is here,” Angel said as she pointed to a spot on the wall. All the flowers and driftwood pieces sat above the wear mark. “This is where I got that shell from,” she added softly.

“Aww, Ange,” Gaige said as she hugged her around the shoulders, Angel gripping the wall to hold them both. “It’s sitting on my shelf now. The sun makes it all sparkly when it hits it.”

“That sounds pretty.”

“Mhm. I’ll sketch it sometime for you. Ok, I need to sit down for a bit,” she panted, swimming out to the beach.

She walked up to the shallowest part once her feet hit the bottom and flopped down in the damp sand, chest heaving. She heard the sand shift as Angel pulled herself up to lay next to her, long hair tickling her outstretched arm.

“How’d you even find this place?”

“Just exploring. Kinda.”

“What do you mean, ‘kinda’?”

“I…….may have gotten a bit too far from the pod, and was being chased. I just kept swimming until I found this place,” she admitted.

“You were being chased?” Gaige said, sitting up. “You couldn’t just, I ‘unno, claw it or something?”

Angel chuckled. “We aren’t the biggest thing in the ocean, Gaige.”

“Huh. Never put that together,” Gaige mused. “So do you guys just live in constant fear of something bigger?”

“No,” Angel snorted. “We’re much more intimidating in large groups, trust me. It was just a random occurrence.” She idly traced the tips of her nails along the inside of Gaige’s arm. “You’re the first person I’ve shown this place to,” she said quietly.

“Thank you for sharing it with me,” Gaige replied equally solemn.

She laid her head back down, staring unfocused at the ceiling, following the cracks with her eyes as she twirled a strand of Angel’s sleek hair in her fingers. The light in the cave was becoming more and more honeyed with the setting sun.

“Hey, I should probably get back,” she said regretfully. “My dad wanted to take me out to eat tonight.”

“Sure.”

Gaige sat up and shook the sand from her hair as best she could, wading back out into the water.

“Um, Gaige?”

She turned back to see Angel looking up sheepishly at her, still all the way up on the shore.

“My turn to pull you, huh?” she teased as she walked back out. Angel giggled like a child as Gaige swung her around by her arms, pulling her backwards into the pool.

*

Gaige pulled her wool coat closer around her as she shivered again. Frost-covered leaves crunched under her boots as she descended the hill to the icy shoreline. She unscrewed the lid of her thermos with numb fingers and took another sip of the hot cider, wincing as the slightly-too-hot liquid bit at her tongue. The river was choppy and grey under the low-hanging autumn clouds as Gaige walked along the black sand. Another gust of cold wind brushed its icy fingers against her neck just as she arrived at the cove. Angel was already there, leaning on the outcropping of stones and weaving some of the fallen willow branches.

“Hey,” she said with a brief glance up at Gaige.

“Hey yourself,” Gaige responded, suddenly nervous at the solemn tone. “Whatcha makin’?”

“A crown for you,” she said as she continued to weave. “We usually make them out of driftwood pieces, but we don’t have any around, so….” Her shoulders lifted in a shrug.

Gaige watched her deftly weave the slim branches over and under and in between each other, slowly creating a thick band.

“Angel, what’s wrong?” Gaige asked gently after several minutes of Angel silently not meeting her gaze.

Her hands stilled as she took a deep breath. “We’re leaving to go south for winter,” she said, her voice hitching a bit as she finally looked up at Gaige.

“When?”

“Today. We were supposed to leave earlier, but I made them wait so I could make you this,” she held up the tangle of branches. Gaige sat silently and watched her until she was finished.

“Here, try it on?”

Gaige ducked her head so Angel could reach, the circlet resting neatly against her forehead.

“Perfect fit,” Gaige said with a crooked smile, a couple water drops from Angel’s fingers running down her face. “I, uh, guess it’s a good thing I saw you today.” She pulled reached behind her for her bag, pulling out a small necklace from inside. “I got you this,” she said, sniffling at the cold. “The leather’s super oiled so the water shouldn’t bother it,” Gaige added.

Angel delicately took it from her, thumbing over the painted violet on the bead. She looked up at Gaige silently, her eyes saying all the emotions her mouth couldn’t.

“Help me put it on?” she said instead.

Gaige nodded quickly, taking it back from her and sliding the knots open all the way. Angel spun and leaned against the rock as Gaige draped it around her neck, pulling the heavy mass of black hair through the circle of cord. She tightened the sliding knots back up, the ceramic disc resting neatly in the hollow of Angel’s throat. Angel turned back to face her with her claws fingering at the necklace.

“Perfect fit,” she echoed back.

“When-” -Gaige cleared her throat- “when will you be back?”

“When the ice melts on the river. I promise,” Angel said vehemently.

Gaige reached out to clasp her hand. “I’ll miss you,” she said, swallowing back tears. “Don’t forget about me, ‘kay?”

“Gaige, I could never forget you.”

Angel pulled herself up out of the water, Gaige leaning down and meeting her in between in a soft press of lips. Gaige closed her eyes and leaned deeper into the kiss, not wanting to end the moment. Angel pulled away first, disappearing with a quiet splash. When Gaige finally opened her eyes, all that was there was the same dark grey water. The drops on her face weren’t just from the willow branches anymore.

*

The snow crunched sharply under their boots as Gaige walked arm in arm with her father. The festival lights lit up the street in a warm glow, the air filled with laughter and vendors extolling their wares to passersby. Somewhere, someone was burning pine branches, the woody scent wafting overhead like a warm blanket.

“So, what’s first?” her father asked.

“I wanna find the candle lady,” Gaige said without hesitation. “She was all out of the cool ones last year when we got there.”

“Alright, candle lady, glass blowers, those nice potters from up north-”

“Wool stand,” Gaige added. “All my sweaters are too small now.”

“Wool stand,” her father repeated, “and then sweet ice and cider?”

“Let’s do it,” Gaige proclaimed as they joined the throng of people milling about.

*

“Ready, set…….go!” they chanted together before each shovelling a spoonful of sweet ice into their mouths. Gaige shook her head at the sudden numbness, determinedly forging ahead. Her spoon hit the bottom of the bowl as she wiped the last bit of strawberry juice from her lips, throwing her hands up in victory as her father just chuckled and shook his head in mock disappointment.

She sat back, taking a long pull at her cider as her father finished the rest of his ice, and idly looked around at the cluster of people seated with them. The small jar candles flickered on each table, shining up on the smiling faces of parents and children happily munching on sugary pastries and the two men slowly feeding each other bites of sweet ice and catching on the gold ring of a husband as he brushes a lock of hair behind his wife’s ear and a girl with bright blue eyes laughing along with her friends and-

Gaige’s chest felt like an iron bar had wrapped itself around her, dampening the mood of a good Candlenight.

“Dad, can we go now?” she asked, hoping her voice didn’t shake.

“You sure?” He looked at her with a faint frown of concern. She nodded, not trusting her voice at the moment. “Alright, let me take care of these real quick, then.” She fiddled idly at the edge of the bag with her new sweaters as she waited. Her father reappeared at her side a minute later, the pair slowly weaving their way up the street, Gaige blinking back tears.

*

She lay on her bed in the dark, still fully clothed as she stroked along the ribbed edge of the shell. Gaige didn’t know how long she lay like that, not quite sure what she was feeling other than empty, when she heard her father’s footsteps on the stairs.

“I made you some cocoa,” he said softly through the door, the soft clink of ceramic on wood following his words. Gaige didn’t respond, waiting silently as he stood at the door for a few more seconds, then disappearing again. When she was sure he was downstairs, she slowly opened her door a crack and pulled the mug towards her, pressing it against her chest for a beat before sipping it down.

*

Gaige draped herself over the back of the couch, wrapping her arms around her father.

“Thanks for the cocoa, Dad,” she mumbled into his shoulder.

“Sure thing, sweetheart,” he replied easily, gripping her forearm. “Anything you want to talk about?”

“.....Not yet, no,” she said haltingly.

“Well, I’ll be here whenever you’re ready.”

“I know. Love ya, Dad.”

*

“I think the restaurant is hiring, whats-her-name, Moxxi?” her father said offhandedly over the steak and potatoes. “Seems like an easy job.”

‘You should get out of the house and do something’ hung unspoken. Gaige heard it anyways.

“Yeah, maybe. I’ll stop by and talk to her. Maybe I’ll get some discounts, too.”

Her father chuckled. “That’d certainly be nice, wouldn’t it?”

*

  
Gaige all but flew down the road to the river, coat flapping open over her uniform as her strides ate up ground. The air smelled like fresh rain and mud, a lone bird chirping in the distance. Breaking the crest of the hill, the wide expanse of open space spread out before her. Her face split into a grin as the sight of running water appeared underneath the thinning ice, and she stood panting on the wet sand, looking at it like it was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen.

“See you soon, Angel,” Gaige said to the water.

*

The days turned into weeks, snow melting and grass slowly growing from brown to green. Early spring flowers pushed their petals up, colouring the roadside in pastels. Birdsong drifted in through Gaige’s open window as she sat on her bed, willow crown on her head, slowly thumbing through her sketchbook filled with pictures of Angel and pressed flowers, trying to ignore the heavy hollow feeling in her stomach.

“Gaige, dinner’s ready,” her father called up the stairs.

She set the book aside, laying the crown on top as she unfolded her legs and descended the stairs. Their places had already been set, and her father was portioning out roasted asparagus onto the plates. As she reached the bottom stair she noticed the small vase in the kitchen window, teeming with freshly picked purple and white violets. Her eyes pricked with tears, and Gaige lifted a hand to her mouth to try and stifle her cry.

She must’ve made some noise, because her father suddenly looked up at her with concern.

“Honey, what’s wrong?”

Gaige tried to speak but all that escaped her mouth was a small squeak. Suddenly she was pressed to her father’s chest as he embraced her, rubbing her back soothingly as she started to cry in earnest. They stood like that, him rocking back and forth silently while she cried, until her sobs subsided. Her father gently led them over to sit at the couch, still silent, waiting for her to speak.

“Dad, do you believe in mermaids?” Gaige asked, wiping her nose on her sleeve.

“I...what does that ha-”

“They’re real,” Gaige interrupted. “I know because I met one last spring.”

That gave her father pause, his brow furrowed in confusion, but he let her speak.

“She lives in the ocean, but she liked to swim in the river. That’s where I kept going all summer.” She wiped at another stray tear. “And I’d bring her flowers and draw her and show her my other sketches and she’d bring me shells and we’d go swimming and-” her breath hitched “and she’d tell me about all the weird fish and plants that live in the ocean and she showed me her collection of shells. She made me a crown out of willow branches,” she smiled sadly, gesturing with a finger behind her up at her room, “the day she left to go south for the winter. And she said she’d be back when- when the ice melted on the river, and it has, and she’s still not here and I miss her so much, Dad, I miss her…” She dissolved into tears again, hiding her face in her hands as her father pulled her into another hug.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he said gently, “I wish I knew how to help.”

“You don’t believe me, do you,” she mumbled into his shoulder.

“Well, mermaids or not, my very real daughter is very upset.” He pulled away and stroked back her hair. “Let’s say I do believe mermaids exist, maybe she got lost on her way back home. The ocean’s a big place.”

Gaige was shaking her head before he had finished speaking. “No, they do it every year, and regular fish know their migration patterns, same as birds and butterflies.”

He raised an impressed eyebrow. “Someone’s been to the library.” Gaige just shrugged modestly.

“Well, for what it’s worth, whether or not mermaids are real-”

“They are, Dad.”  
“-I’ve never seen you happier than you were this past summer.” Gaige smiled a bit and looked down at her lap. “Now, let’s eat before everything gets cold, okay?”

“‘Kay,” she said softly.

“I love you,” he said, giving her a kiss on the forehead and standing up.

“Love you too, Dad.”

*

“Here’s the bread for the back corner table,” Amy said, passing the thick wooden board over the counter to Gaige. Gaige grabbed a small dish of butter on her way out of the kitchens and out into the main dining area.

“Your party table looks like they could use some more drinks,” Moxxi said to her in passing as she poured a couple beers.

“I’ll go check on them after I drop this off,” Gaige called over her shoulder as she kept walking.

The mother and daughter thanked her for the bread with polite smiles, mirroring the one she had plastered on her face as she made her way to the rowdy bunch at the long table. Taking their orders and the empty glasses, the bell sounded over the door, signaling someone entering.

“Two more ales and another bottle of that new whiskey,” Gaige relayed to Moxxi as she set the heavy tankards on the counter.

“Excuse me,” said a soft voice from the door, “is Gaige here?”

If the glasses hadn't been already on the counter they would now be in pieces on the floor. Because there, silhouetted in the doorway, dressed in plain clothes was a human girl, with long black hair and alabaster skin and eyes the colour of a clear summer sky. As she turned to look at Gaige, she saw the small cluster of violets tucked carefully behind one ear.

Her Angel.

**Author's Note:**

> I love Gaingel so much, guys, I missed writing these two. Thank you so much for reading, let me know what you think!
> 
> I'm also on [tumblr](lilbittymonster.tumblr.com) if you want to say hi :)


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